Lasting-machine.



PATENTED JUNE 7, 1904.

' L. B. S TAMM.

LASTING MAOHINEL APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

,NO MODEL.

Patented June 7, 1904.

LOUIS B. STAMM, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

LASTlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,209, dated J line 7, 1904. Application filed July 30,1903. Serial No. 167,535. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LOUIS B. STAMM, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lasting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for lasting boots and shoes. Its object is to provide a machine particularly for lasting that portion of the shoe intermediate of the heel and toe, whereby both sides of the upper may be drawn equally and simultaneously over the last, stretched, laid upon the last, and held while the tacks are driven in.

While machinery is employed to stretch and shape the heel and toe, it is usual to last the sides of the shoe by hand, employing a pair of pincers first to pull one side over and tack it and then the other side. The result is that the lasting is seldom done evenly, one side slipping or pulling more than the other and resulting in-discomfort.

My invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter more fully described, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a front end view of same; Fig. 3, a detail of a gripper; Fig. 4, a partial end view of the machine with one gripper engaged, showing position of spreader and operatinglevers.

A represents a suitable frame-support forming part of my apparatus. In the present instance the frame consists of a metal skeleton structure at which the operator may stand while at work and through which he may pass his hands to adjust the shoe and various parts of the lasting mechanism. By means of suitably-located reflectors he is able to see all parts of the shoe to know that his work is being properly done;

The last, with the shoe or boot to be lasted in position and sole uppermost, is clamped between a vertically-adjustablelast-holder 2 and a superposed screw-clamp member 3, which latter is adjustable vertically on the standard 4 of frame A, as shown at 5, so as to allow the last to be inserted or removed. The clamps 2 3 are disposed centrally between the two sides of the frame and are easily accessible to the operator. The edges of the upper, which project upwardly about half an inch all around the insole, are engaged by the grippers 6, of which there may be three or more foreach side of the shoe and one, as 7 for the toe. The construction of one of these grippers is shown in Fig. 3. The jaws of a gripper are flattened and are normally closed by aspring 8. The handles are concaved on their adjacent edges, and one handle is slotted, as at 9, to admit the end of the opposite handle before the pivot-pin 10 of the gripper is inserted and headed. By pressing the handles together the jaws are opened. Releasing them, spring 8 causes them to close automatically, and the end walls of slot 9 limit the relative movement of the two handles.

A ring or bail 11 embraces the handles and is adapted when tension is put upon it in a direction opposite to the pivot end of the gripper to cooperate with the oppositely-inclined curved inner surfaces of the handles to spread the latter apartand cause the jaws to close the tighter. The grippers are suspended by the bails 11 from the several flexible connections, cords, or wires 12 12, the cords 12 from the grippers on one side crossing with thosefrom the other side and passing under respective slide bars or carriages 13, thence each to an overhead pulley 14, and down to a counterweight 15. The pulleys 14 are supported on and at each side of and adjacent the center of the machine-frame, and the counterweights are designed to exert a suflicient tension on the bails 11 to cause the grippers to grip the leather upper tight and pull it up evenly over the last, the grippers normally standing more nearly upright than horizontal. The horizontal slide-bars 13, which may be termed the spreader-bars, are slidable on suitable curved guides 16, forming part of frame A. These guides are so disposed that when the bars 13 are moved outwardly the cords 12 at opposite sides are spread to cause the crossed grippers to assumea more nearly horizontal position to lay the edges of the upper over the insole and allow it to be tacked down. Hooks, as'32, are adapted to be engaged with the last to hold the latter in opposition to the tug of aspreader, as in Fig. 4. The outward movement of a spreader-bar is here effected in opposition to the counterweights and engaged grippers by means of a foot-lever 17 at each side of the machine and the connections 18 between a spreader and its respective lever. 19 is a catch with which a lever may be engaged to hold a spreader out while the operator is tacking the sole. The spreaders return to their normal central position when pressure on levers 17 is released by the action of the counterweights on cords 12. The counterweights on each side are connected to a respective cross-bar 20, suspended from the wire cords 21, which latter pass through overhead pulleys 22 and unite at the front end of the machine, the single cord 23 passing thence down to a foot-lever2 1. It is understood that the counterweights on one side of the machine connect with one lever 24 and the counterweights on the other side connect with a second and independently-operatable lever 24, the two levers being adjacent to each other, so that the operators foot may be placed on both levers at the same time to operate them simultaneously and raise or lower all the weights together. By a downward movement of one or the other, or both, of levers 24 the weights will be lifted and the tension removed on cords 12 and the grippers. When the grippers are not eugaged, the counterweights are hung up by means of loops 25 in cords 23, caught over suitable projections 26 on "frame A.

In operation, with the sp readers released and the grippers relaxed, a last, with the parts of the shoe to be lasted in position, is clamped between the last holder and clamp 3, as described, the toe pointing centrally of the machine and away from the operator. The grippers 6 are engaged along the sides of the shoe at suitable intervals in such fashion that the grippers on opposite sides when bent over the last may pass each other alternately. The toe-gripper 7, which is also engaged, is adapted to exert simply a straight pull upward and preserve the shape of the toe while the sides are being lasted, the lasting ot' the toe and heel being the work subsequently of machines already in existence for those particular purposes. The toe-gri pper has its individual cord 12 and counterweight 27, and when it is not in engagement with the upper the weight is suspended by a cord 28, passing over pulleys 29 and down within convenient reach of the operator and engaged by a hook, as 80. The grippers having been properly engaged with the overlapping edges of the upper, cords 23 and 28 are released from their respective fastenings at 26 and 30 and the weights allowed to descend simultaneously, bringing the tension on the gripper-cords 12 and 12 to cause the grippers to take firm hold and pull up evenly on all sides of the upper and stretch it equally over the last. The heavier the counterweights are the greater the stress on the leather. The harder the pull onthe grippers the tighter their grasp. The weights having been released, the operator observes in the mirror 31, which is suitably located below the last, whether the leather has drawn perfectly over the last. If it has not done so, he raises the weights again by levers 24:, readjusts the upper, being able to see perfectly what he is doing. and again lowers the weights simultaneously. He is then ready to tack the upper, which is done by first moving one of the spreaders outward to bend one set of grippers horizontally over the last, locking the actuating-lever 17, tacking, hanging up the weights. releasing the lever, and disengaging the grippers of the side just tacked, then moving the other spreader and repeating the operation for the other side.

The advantages of the machine are that the laster works in standing position, ahealthier position than where he is obliged to sit and stoop, as in working by hand. The upper is drawn over all the parts of the last equally, therefore insuring a better lit and more comfort to the wearer than a hand-lasted shoe. Moreover, this machine is capable of doing the work of several men, thereby resulting in a great saving of labor.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a lasting-machine, the combination with last holding means, of a plurality of grippers, flexible connections from one end of which the grippers are suspended, weights connected with the opposite ends of the connections whereby the grippers are counterbalanced, andmeans engaging said connections to cause the grippers to lay the edges of the upper over the last.

2. In a lastingmachine, the combination with last-holding means, of a plurality of grippers, flexible suspending devices connected to said grippers and counterbalances connected to said devices, a pair of opposing outwardly-movable Spreaders engaging the suspending devices at points intermediate of their length for turning the grippers across the last, and means for actuating the spreaders.

3. In a lastingmachine, the combination with last-holding means, of a plurality of grippers, flexible connections having one end secured to the grippers and the opposite end provided with a counterbalance, whereby a tension is exerted simultaneously on all of the grippers to draw the upper evenly over the last, and means engaging the intermediate portions of the flexible connections for laying the grippers transversely across the last.

1. In a lasting-machine, the combination with last-holding means, of a plurality of grippers disposed on each side of the last and adapted to be engaged with the upper to be lasted, means for exerting tension simultaneously on all of said grippers to draw 'the upper evenly over the last, means including an outwardly-movable spreader for moving the grippers on one side of the last simultaneously over the last, and means similarly to move the grippers on the other side.

5. In a lasting-machine, the combination with last-holding means, of normally closed spring-pressed grippers, suspending connections therefor, and outward ly-movable spreaders engaging said connections at points intermediate of their opposite ends, and movable outwardly in unison in opposite directions for turning the grippers into substantially a horizontal position across the last.

6. In a lasting-machine, the combination with last-holding means, of normally pendent grippers and means including a curved guide and an outwardly-movable spreader movable thereover for turning an engaged gripper into substantially horizontal position across the last.

7. In a lasting-machine, the combination with last-holding means of a plurality of opposed suspended counterbalanced grippers, means including spreaders operating outwardly in unison and engaging intermediate portions of the suspending connections for turning the grippers into horizontal position across the last to enable the tacks to be driven in, and means for holding the spreaders in their outward position.

8. In a lasting-machine, the combination with last-holding means, of opposed, suspended, counterbalanced grippers, and means including curved guides, and outwardly and downwardly movable spreaders slidable on said guides for turning the grippers on either side simultaneously into substantially horizontal position across the last.

9.- In a lasting-machine, the combination with a frame of last-holding means, suspended grippers, guides on the frame, and spreaders movable on said guides to turn the grippers across the last, and means for moving said spreaders.

10. In a lasting-machine, the combination of a frame, last-holding means, sets of counterbalanced grippers, means for exerting a tension on said grippers simultaneously, guides on said frame, spreaders slidable on said guides to move said sets of grippers equally, and means for operating the spreaders.

11. In a lasting-machine, the combination of a frame, a last-holder, a pivoted clamp member relative thereto, a plurality of normally closed suspended counterbalanced grippers interengaging with opposite sides of the upper to be lasted, and means including outwardly-movable spreaders operating intermediate the grippers and their several supports to move the grippers on one side of the last toward those on the other side.

12. In a lasting-machine, the combination of a frame, last-holding means, a plurality of suspended grippers, counterweights and flexible connections therebetween and the grippers, means for moving the grippers when engaged with a shoe to be lasted into horizontal position across the last, and means for raising the weights to relieve the tension on the grippers.

. 13. In a lasting-machine, the combination of a frame; last-holding means, a plurality of grippers disposed on each side of the shoe to be lasted, counterweights and flexible connections between them and the grippers, and means including a laterally-movable spreader engaging intermediate portions of the flexible connections for turning simultaneously the grippers on one side of an engaged shoe toward the engaged grippers on the other side.

1 L. In a lasting-machine, the combination of a frame, last-holding means, a plurality of grippers, flexible supports therefor, opposed curved guide portions on the frame, and carriages movable on said guides to actuate the grippers in opposite directions. I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS B. STAMM.

Witnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, W. C. MAHAMNA. 

